It’s a fishing day

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach fishing conditions · Virginia

Tonight, 1 am–8 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 77. Water is 63°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Small Craft Advisory until Monday 6 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 73 for striped bass, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 733 am
  2. 73
  3. 73
  4. 736 am
  5. 73
  6. 67
  7. 639 am
  8. 63
  9. 63
  10. 6712 pm
  11. 67
  12. 77
  13. 733 pm
  14. 73
  15. 65
  16. 676 pm
  17. 63
  18. 63
  19. 639 pm
  20. 63
  21. 65
  22. 65Tue
  23. 77
  24. 77
  25. 733 am
  26. 73
  27. 73
  28. 736 am
  29. 73
  30. 58
  31. 629 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 5812 pm
  35. 62
  36. 67
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
63°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
9 mph

From the northeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:21 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
57°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

NWS pressure forecast

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Virginia tidal (VMRC) regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

77Worth the tripTonight, 1 am–8 am

Water

63°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

28" minimum · 31" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia coastal waters (the ocean out to 3 miles and the seaside of the Eastern Shore and Virginia Beach): 1 fish a day, 28–31", open Jan 1–Mar 31 and May 16–Dec 31. Federal waters beyond 3 miles are closed. Non-offset circle hooks with bait; no gaffing.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

65MarginalTonight, 1 am–8 am

Water

63°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia marine waters: no size limit, 5 a day, including on for-hire trips.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: May–Oct. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

65MarginalTonight, 1 am–8 am

Water

63°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia tidal waters: 14" minimum, 5 a day with no more than 1 over 24". Recreational anglers may not take, catch or possess speckled trout from Apr 1 to Jun 30, 2026 (4VAC20-280-30).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: May–Oct. More on spotted seatrout

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

57MarginalTonight, 1 am–8 am

Water

63°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia tidal waters: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year. Federal waters follow NOAA Fisheries rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: May–Sep. Likes an outgoing tide. More on summer flounder

Spanish Mackerel

Spanish mackerel

Scomberomorus maculatus

24Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

63°
55°65–82° · ideal 74°92°

Why

Spanish mackerel prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–40 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia tidal waters: 14" minimum (total length), 15 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: Jun–Sep. More on Spanish mackerel

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

24Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

63°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Red drum prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 26" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Virginia tidal waters: 18–26" slot, 3 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Virginia tidal (VMRC)

Season here: Jun–Nov. More on red drum

The water

  • Water temperature63°F
  • Seas4.6 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer30.38 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:21 am
  • Sunset today6:13 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:20 am–8:20 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Virginia DWR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: VA DWR/VMRC · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

VA Beach tidal inlet with jetty, bridge, and surf fishing access. Strong tidal current concentrates a mixed bag of saltwater species — flounder stack in the channel, Spanish mackerel blitz the inlet mouth in summer, and red drum show in the fall.

Metered parking; arrive early in summer. Boat launches nearby at Owl Creek. Jetty rocks can be slippery — use caution.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Sandbridge Beach5 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 2 am–8 am
100Go
First Landing State Park8 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 12 am–8 am
90Go
False Cape State Park15 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 2 am–8 am
100Go
Ocean View Beach17 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 1 am–8 am
90Go
Kiptopeke State Park23 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 8 am
90Go
Buckroe Beach23 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 12 am–8 am
90Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach you need a Virginia saltwater recreational fishing license issued by VMRC, or a free Virginia Fisherman Identification Program (FIP) registration if otherwise exempt. See the agency's current rules: https://mrc.virginia.gov/regulations/recfish-licensing.shtm

What fish are commonly targeted at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Summer Flounder, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spanish Mackerel, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach have?

Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Metered parking; arrive early in summer. Boat launches nearby at Owl Creek. Jetty rocks can be slippery — use caution.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach?

Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) saltwater regulations apply at Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach tidal water?

Yes. Rudee Inlet — Virginia Beach sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.